Flue cleaner



M. MATHIAS FLUE CLEANER Oct. 30, 1934.

Filed March 15. 1953 1 Michael Mathias IIVVENTOR .4 TTORNEY 4 Patented Oct. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE FLUE CLEANER Michael Mathias, Youngstown, Ohio Application March 13, 1933, Serial No. 660,479

2 Claims.

This invention relates to flue cleaners.

The principal object of this device is to provide a shaft carrying a plurality of cutting blades slidably maintained thereon.

A further object is to provide spring tension for each of said cutting blades.

A further object is to provide detachable means for removing the flue cleaner from a manipulating shaft.

A still further object is to provide a bumper means in order to prevent the device from going beyond the end of the flue being cleaned.

One of the difficulties in the care of boilers provided with flues is that the interior of the flues become coated, not only with soot and the like, but with scales. These scales may be formed from different causes which are more common to steam boiler flues. The efficiency of the boiler becomes lessened when the flues become coated, scaled, or clogged with foreign substances. Therefore, in order to keep the steam boiler at maximum efficiency it is necessary to keep the flues clean.

I am aware that flue cleaners are known to the art which remove loose particles, such as soot and the like, but they are not efficient in removing scales, crustations, etc., that have formed on the inside of the flues. With my improved flue cleaner I have provided a simple and inexpensive, but effective means for thoroughly cleaning flues.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the inven- 'l tion.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a modification of the body of the cutting blades.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a removable cutting head for the modified body of the cutting blades as shown in Figure 2.

" Figure 4 is a cross section taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that there is provided a manipulating shaft 1. This manipulating shaft 1 is secured to a shaft 2 which carries a plurality of cutting blades 3 by means of a threaded coupler 4 which functions upon threaded reduced ends 5 and 6 of the manipulating shaft 1 and the shaft 2. The cutting blades 3 are each provided with a rectangular opening 7 in order that they may be slidably maintained upon a flattened portion 8 of the shaft 2. It will be seen by referring to Figures 1 and 2 that the cutting blades 3 are formed so as to have parallel side surfaces, the inner surfaces of the cutting blades 3 being adjacent to each other. It will also be seen that the outer ends of the cutting blades extend in opposite directions when placed upon the flattened portion 8 of the shaft 2. It will be seen that this flattened portion 8 is provided with recesses 9 for the seating of compression springs 10. These compression springs 10 hold the cutting blades 3 firmly against the interior of the flue being cleaned. It will also be seen that the shaft 2 is provided with a reduced shaft extension 11 for the reception of a bumper member 12. This bumper member 12 is provided with a nut portion 13 which is turned down against a lock washer 14. This lock washer 14 holds a disk 15 against a shoulder 16 formed on the shaft 2 by the reduced shaft extension 11. This disk 15 is of a diameter sufiicient to hold the cutting blades 3 from horizontal movement upon the flattened portion 8.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that there is provided a modified form 23 of the cutting blades 3 so as to provide for a removable cutting head 17. This cutting head 17 is held in position by means of a wedge-shaped tongue 18 fitting into a dove-tailed recess 19. This cutting head 17 is provided with a shoulder 20 fitting upon a shoulder 21 in order to hold the cutting head 17 in position.

What I claim is:--

1. In a flue cleaner, a shaft, a flattened portion on said shaft, a reduced threaded end on said shaft adjacent to said flattened portion, a pair of cutting blades carried on said flattened portion of said shaft, said cutting blades each having a rectangular opening therein and positioned adjacent to each other with cutting ends extended in opposite directions, means for normally holding said cutting blades in an extended position, a disk positioned on the reduced end of said shaft together with means threadedly secured on said 1 holding said blades in an extended position, recesses formed on said flattened portion of said shaft for the purpose of forming seats for said compression springs, a disk positioned on the reduced end of said shaft together with means threadedly secured on said reduced end for holding said disk in position on said shaft.

MICHAEL MATHIAS. 

